The National Hockey League (NHL) reversed a previous ban on players using rainbow-colored tape on their hockey sticks.
“After consultation with the NHL Players’ Association and the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition, Players will now have the option to voluntarily represent social causes with their stick tape throughout the season,” the NHL wrote in its statement in a post on X.
Earlier this year, the NHL Board of Governors decided to prevent players from showing their support for special initiatives, including using specially-themed warmup jerseys. After this decision, the NHL revealed ahead of the new season that usage of pride tape was banned.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told Sportsnet that the teams would not be wearing special warm-up jerseys as they had become a “distraction.”
NHL statement on symbolic tape in support of social causes. pic.twitter.com/BJN0hAde2W
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 24, 2023
Arizona Coyotes defenseman Travis Dermott became the first hockey player to openly defy the NHL’s ban by using pride tape during the Coyotes game on Saturday being the Anaheim Ducks, according to The Athletic.
When questioned about whether Dermott would face any type of punishment for his actions on defying the ban, the NHL informed the outlet that it would “review it in due course.”
Dermott explained to Craig Morgan from PHNX Sports that while “you don’t really want to go against rules” your employer puts in place, he displayed the pride tape because he is “passionate” about making “everyone feel included.”
“You want to have everyone feel included and that’s something that I have felt passionate about for a long time in my career,” Dermott said. “I feel like we need supporters of a movement like this, to have everyone feel included and really to beat home the idea that hockey is for everyone.”